President and CEO of Gongos Research in Auburn Hills. Gongos Research practice areas - consumer products; retail and services; financial and diversified; and transportation and technology - work closely with their marketing sciences team to provide synthesized findings. Proprietary research offerings, including i°Communities, gongos Mobile, and Consumer Village, are guided by the research innovation team. Gongos leads a team of accomplished researchers and strategists who forge the company's strategic direction, as well as product innovation, marketing, and business strategy. Formed as Gongos and Associates in 1991, the company was renamed in 2006, coinciding with the design of its new headquarters. Under Gongos' leadership, the firm has been listed in the Inc. 5,000 list of fastest growing companies for the past four years. A published author in the research industry, Gongos presented at the 2010 annual CASRO (Council of American Survey Research Organizations) conference on quarterly strategic planning, and was subsequently published in the CASRO Journal. In 2011, he was featured in The CEO Advantage Journal about his philosophies on fostering and retaining talent. Gongos received his bachelor's degree in marketing at Miami University (OH) and his MBA from the University of Cincinnati.

WHERE BORN: “Sandusky, Ohio.”

MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSONS: “In general, definitely my mother. She raised me as a single parent after my father passed away when I was 12 and taught me the importance of a work ethic and to follow my passion.”

LAST BOOK READ: “Brainsteering: A Better Approach to Breakthrough Ideas by Kevin and Shawn Coyne. It's about brainstorming a new approach toward innovative ideas.”

WHERE MY FIELD/INDUSTRY IS HEADED: “We're seeing two trends in our industry with the merging of technology and market research. We're seeing more technology companies coming into our field as new competitors. The second is we're seeing a lot more emphasis on insights and impact instead of just data - more of the interpretation.”

HOW I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED: “As a great father and husband and also for creating a unique company where people can follow their passions and love their jobs. We've created a culture here where people don't leave, which is a really good thing.”